scwxguy

Me either, other than maybe windshield wiper effect? It's truly a maddening situation. No one here in Charleston is even paying attention to Dorian, completely written off as a Florida thing. If it takes a Matthew like track it is almost a week away from impacts here it looks like which is good. If it were to landfall here less time. If most of Florida is going to start evacuating tomorrow (that's a ton of people compared to GA/SC!) where would GA/SC people go if it suddenly came here? All those hotels in GA and even here are filled with FL evacuees. We are even planning to house a friend that is in Orlando if necessary. At this point I'm just keeping an eye on it as we all are. Hopefully today adds more clarity not confusion. I expect FL officials will call for the evacuation today as well. They have to, running out of time.

12z Euro has a landfall at 120 hrs/Monday near Ft Lauderdale and Palm Beach Co, then into GOM. This is further south than 00z

Euro is running...

I'm watching the GFS, panel for hour 114 just came out at the time of this post - much more south and looks to be in line with NHC forecast. We'll see what the next ones show for any turn north. Yeah not much other use for the generator for us either, but I view it as cheap insurance against power failures. I have no regrets that I have it. They can happen at any time. Transformers blow up, car crashes into a substation, etc. They've all happened to me. I lived up north prior to this and winter storms were what you had one for to keep your blower motor going on the furnace and the fridge. There were outages near me that were days in sub-freezing cold following ice storms. That's life threatening vs just miserable after a hurricane. I was down in Florida after Charley. Taught me to respect them.

I'd wait until the deadline to ship to get here by Friday and assess then

It's also very easy to move around. Has a handle that flips out and the wheels are good. It is also very compact. Barely takes up any space in my garage. The ones at HD/Lowes are not nearly as nice and more expensive and huge!

I ordered this off Amazon in 2017 ahead of Irma: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BBDCE1S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I used it last year when the backside of Michael came through and knocked out power for a few hours. It's an inverter so good clean power. Also variable speed so only cycles up to demand. Seems to sip fuel and very quiet. Powered my fridge, portable AC and small electronics without any issues.

Ch 2 this morning is fairly confident that the storm is blocked and sent into Florida: https://www.counton2.com/weather/hurricane-central/dorian-expected-to-become-a-hurricane-by-friday-threat-to-the-united-states-increasing/ Still, I would get on that run early today. Just was in Harris Teeter in Mt Pleasant and they had water in the aisles and at the door. That is going to start making people unaware become aware. Watching the tropics is now on the forecast. If Dorian does indeed track here as the GFS legacy and operational show it is going to go from 0 to panic in a few hours time, and there won't be much time to prep and evac. It all seems dependent on the ridge. Lots of models showing Florida still as does the Euro, but GFS says Charleston. However if I remember correct the GFS doesn't always have a good handle on ridges which is the key factor here. No reason not to be prepared starting today, I am advising my neighbors of the same. We'll know a lot more this evening, but so will everyone else. I track to be ahead of the masses and make pre-emptive decisions.

Yeah, lots of doom forecasting for a very compact, weak storm that has a lot going against it. People assume everything will rapidly intensify to a major hurricane after the last few years. Anything can happen but the current track, interaction with Hispaniola's mountains and dry air don't point to a catastrophic event at this time.

My wife was already asking where our "hurrication" is going to be this year. I said don't plan on it. Certainly has been a lot of close calls last few years and people are beginning to expect it as new normal when it is an aberration.

Me too. Been enough activity over the last few years. Years like this balance the bad ones. It is still early, but the quiet has been good.

Happy Met Spring to all!

I was on Hilton Head Island this past weekend. Tree pollen is out. Assume it will be out here this week in CHS.

If you are seeing issues try getting it down earlier and check the product you are using. I put down Dimension (Dithiopyr) 20% granules from a local landscape supply store - in early February, follow up again in 8-12 weeks and then do the same at Labor Day and in early November. I've followed their advice and had great results. I've been doing it 4 times a year recently but I inherited a mess. I had dandelions, chickweed, henbit, poa annual in the winter and crabgrass and spurges in the summer. Now I have no winter weeds and practically no crab grass and spurges after 18 months of this treatment. Will likely reduce to 2x per year this fall to once in the fall at Labor Day and early Feb now that I have things under control. The grass has filled back in and looks great. I have mostly St Augustine in my front yard and Empire Zoysia in the back. The key is to get the stuff down ahead of the weed seeds germinating. Get a quality product from a local landscape supply center and avoid Scott's and other things at the Big Box stores. It's worth the few extra bucks - really not that much more at all - for a quality product.

Saw that last week of January here in Charleston. Last night I was out at sunset and the frogs were deafening. Also other insects as well chirping away.

Our usual date to apply by is 2/15. I put mine down yesterday in Mt Pleasant, SC. Soil temp is already moving past 55 here especially areas in full sun. We've been 75-80 for 4 days now. I'm seeing new green shoots of grass appearing. There is a large window to get it down early, but if you are late, it's ineffective. Do it now and follow up again in 8-10 weeks.

I put the pre-emergent down this morning and kicked on the irrigation. My PWS hit 73 Monday, 84 yesterday. Already at 80 again today and at least two more days on tap of this. Soil temp is above 55°. It's time!

+1 There is a reason I am the contrarian in here hoping for no cold weather or snow. When it snowed here in CHS last January I knew it wasn't normal but at the same time thought I didn't move far enough south. After 30+ years of the above abuse living in Chicago and just a few blocks of the lake an endless winter followed by a cold spring with constant "lake effect" days with warm weather that can be equally fleeting in summer you never want to deal with any of it again. There have been years with "June Gloom" of endless cloudy cool days and even cold 4th of Julys. One thing that is always guaranteed is winter will arrive on schedule. Moving to the south and eliminating winter has been an improvement in my quality of life unlike any other. I many of you enjoy it and the prospect of something that isn't typical, but you can easily get on a plane and see it for yourself Spending 6 months of the year counting down to the next warm season is no way to live!

I'm originally from Chicago. Winter never fails. It ended late last year in May - literally was in the 30s consistently until then and came on early with a foot of snow in early November. Now all time record cold. They just had 8 inches of snow Sunday into Monday. Rain and temps in the mid 30s is common. But they have at least 2 solid months of winter to go.

Those of us very far south, points from where I am at in Charleston on down, "winter" is for all intents and purposes about over. The sun angle and length of day is rapidly increasing. For VA, I would agree, still lots of time to go as you are much farther north and more prone to the mid-latitude storm systems. We can see a few cold nights and get around 32 (at 6-7am just before sunrise or for a few hours at best) a few more times here on the Charleston coast but that window is closing with every passing day. After this week, GFS 2m temps are showing 67-70 each day and lows in 50s at night for several days. About time to get the pre-emergent down in the yard.

Spring is getting underway in the Charleston area. Lots of trees budding and flowering out in Azalea Park in Summerville this past weekend. Had a new bloom this morning out in the backyard as well.

Here's an alternative view to almost all on this board. I'm enjoying the warm weather and still shake my head in amusement at all the cold and snow lovers here. I'm closely following the potential record arctic outbreak up in the midwest next week while enjoying this near 70 degree afternoon in CHS. Even got to the pool on Saturday. Was great! The cold nights we've had lately have been an annoyance and hoping they are about behind us. Doesn't need to be hot yet, but less cold nights in the 30s and fewer cloudy days would be appreciated. As I see the pictures of snow and the barbaric cold on FB from friends and family up north I'm glad to no longer be part of that soul crushing misery.

Yes I too enjoy retreating to the AC in the evening. I wouldn't be happy without it. I remember moving down here and it seemed unbearable to work outside at all for the first few weeks. Now I cut the lawn at high noon in July without even thinking about it! What has been most interesting is that setting the AC anywhere below 78 feels unbearably cold. Back up north even 74 was pushing it to be too warm. It's all humidity. 80 degree dewpoints vs 60s to near 70. Even 70 degree dewpoints feel "refreshing" after a period of 80 dewpoints.

Makes me happy! Seeing snow and palm trees was just strange to me. I was caught off-guard with everything shutting down. I know it wasn't normal and it hadn't been seen in many years. Having moved here just in time for the first snow in years and then seeing posts on this thread showing coastal SC, GA and FL being the only below normal temps this winter on the forecast maps make me wonder if it is just following me and I need to move to Florida. Now I know I need to be prepared to not be able to eat out or hit the grocery store if it happens again. I had a police car pull up to me at a stoplight when I was out driving in it (literally one of the only cars on the road in the middle of the afternoon!) and he asked me where I was going and if I was ok to drive. I replied to him I'm fine to drive I have 36 years of experience in the snow, the question is are you ok to drive? He said fair enough and be safe! From talking with many of my neighbors I'm one of the odd ones. They've been waiting for cooler temperatures while I have felt an urgency to get out in the pool and beach as much as possible before the heat and humidity dissipates. I love the heat and humidity. When I lived up north I would sit outside and soak it in with a cold beer in the week or two we had of it. I just like hot weather and to me it never gets old, and neither do the pictures of sunshine and outdoor activities I share on Facebook with friends and family as they complain about yet another snowstorm Carry on!